continuing to do something when you have almost no energy left.
After two straight games against top teams, the Tigers were running on fumes and lost on Saturday night.
running on fumes
Continuing to operate with no or very little enthusiasm, energy, or resources left. A reference to a car that has nearly run out of fuel. I've been painting the house for four hours every night after work, and I am seriously running on fumes at this point.We were running on fumes by the time our team made it to the championship round.